The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-06-05
PEARS AND OTHER FRUIT.
An Account Of Some of NV Experiment,
and Experiences.
nv DIR. a. scHArrRASrk. pAr.ArkA. FrA.

county. History proves that the pear Is
OF very ancient cultivation, for the pear
tree has been dedicated Ia Juno, and all
writers on trees from Theophrastus 10
the present day agree that as the tree
grows old il increases its fruitfulness.
IL is essential that the soil should be dry,
and where the tree Is intended 10 grow
large and productive,i ia ought to he good
and deep-for with poorer soil and an
exposed situation the stock of the Pyrus
of the given locality must doubtless be-
the best and hardest; but il is found
from experience, and IL is consistent
with physiological principles, that ON
good soil both trees and fruit will grow
larger when the stock Is a Seeding pear
of some vigorous growing variety.
When dwarf trees are required the pear.
is grated ON ounce, medlar, pyrus,
mountain ash. IL also grows very re-
markably ON hawthorn, when the graft.
however, is made close 90 the surface Of
the ground or Immediately under the
surface. We can find nearly all of the
stock named in our own woods and 10
experiment with them IL the only thing
necessary.
The value Of pear culture will be under
stood by everyone, IL we commence with
analyzing the pear tree itself. The wood,
| like that of other members OF the rose
family, is liable To have its natural color
changed 10y sleeping i'm the water, which
ought 10 be therefore avoided when IL IL
intended for particular purposes. II Is
readily stained black and then so closely
resembles ebony as Ia be scarcely dis
tinguishable from il. In this state IL IL
much used by turner's, cabinets and pat
tern makers, etc. As fuel the wood Of
the pear tree is of good quality. IL
makes an excellent charcoal The
leaves afford yellow dye, while each
flower represents indeed one Of natures
best confectionaries for the alw ays in
dustrious bees, which, eourting with
these little innocent children Of Flora,
steal from their lips the heavenly nectar
and ambrosia, while other insects. more
experienced in love tricks and more
careful for their posterity, lay their eggs
direct ON the pistil Of the flower. With
the development of the fruit the trans
formation of the egg begins too, and this
will continue until the metamorpohsis Of
the insect has been completed, and the
fruit has become worthless. for IL the ex-
terror of the fruit shines as nice and red
as can be, yet IN the heart there grows
that deadly worm.
The fruit of the pear tree is used for
stewing. preserving and canning. In
Germany, Austria, France Belgium and
even in some places Of the Northern
States of the Union the fruit Is
very often dried, in which state IL
forms an article of commerce,
and when stewed is excellent
either rs a substitute for pies and pud-
dings or as forming part of the dessert.
The juice of the pear is used for making
must, syrup, brandy and jelly; even the
seed is valuable for making an oil which
is in every respect preferable 10 olive
oil. Behold here, new field for In
dustry.
Two different sorts OF pears have been
raised successfully in Palatkn and its
vicinity, namely: The lie Conte pear
and the Kieffer, both of them raised from
a crossing of China pear with an Euro
pean sort. The China pear used for said
purpose is called the "China sand pear
or Snow pear" "Cha Lee" which was
introduced in Europe in 1920 from China
and Cochin China. These two varieties
of pears ! set out i'm 1884 and since that
time the small plants have grown splen-
didly, reaching at present the height Of
l2 to IA feet, strong enough 10 bear
next year. In March, 1885, added the
Mikado, a sort imported from japan,
which will be, perhaps, the beginning Of
a new race of pears, IL Is "A good grow
er and its very large serrated leaves dis
tinguishes this sort at once from all other
varieties Of the pear.
Last year ordered the Mammoth and
Souvenir du Congress. The Mammoth
pear, highly recommended and sold 10
me by "A travelling agent of Tennessee
nursery, is not that which has been said
i'm the agents book in regard 10 its
growth, as well AS 10 its development Of
leaves. This sad experience brought me
10 the determination never 10 purchase
any tree more from travelling agent,
even If he should come direct from
Paradise, for would not trust him, be-
lieving that he learned the art Of persua-
sion from his ancestor and master, who
understood said art so perfectly well that,
using by his first experiment nice an
pie only, he could even beguile the
mother of all mankind, poor Mrs. Eve.
During the month of January /
added 10 the pears above mentioned, the
following sorts: Beurre Lucratef, Beurre
Supcrfine, Duchesse dAnglouleme and
Barabe. Looking over the catalogues
sent to me from fruit growers i'm Europe
found some new varieties, crossings
between the China sand pear and other
European sorts. and as IL Is my belief
that they may do as well as LeConte and
Keiffer, shall order some Of each i'm
September.
III every one interested In fruit grow
ing would try each year only one or two
new sorts Of pear and publish his expert
ence think we may he able to increase
the number Of pear in few years; and
happy the man who can say he has done
his part faithfully by adding one stone
more to the building Of the welfare Of
our State; and IL the profits OF our work
may be earned not by ourselves but by
the following generations, let ms keep In
memory that our forefathers have done